Fuel-tank control valve



W. Q. REPLOGLE. FUEL TANK CONTROL VALV E.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1920. RENEWED JUNE 21.1922.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

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This ,invention consists in the details of UNITED STATES lrXTENT vOFFH'CE.

WILBERT C. REPLOGLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FUEL-TANK CONTROL VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 22, 1922,

Application filed January 12, 1920, Serial No.- 351,032. Renewed June 21, 1922. Serial No. 569,874.

This invention relates to means which may be so adjusted as to prevent the complete discharge of the liquid contents of a tank and thereafter may be again adjusted. to permit such complete discharge, the device being particularly adapted to be connected into the conduits extending from the fuel tanks to the carbureters of motor v'ehicles and normally prevent the complete drainage of thefuel tanks, the reserve being rendered available by turning a valve construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view showing this improved'valve connected to a fuel tank. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the valve for controlling the discharge of the fuel.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Automobilists often neglect to fill their fuel tanks and become stalled when the fuel is all consumed, and where filling stations are far apart this is very inconvenient. The. I

present device is intended to prevent this by stopping the flow of fuel while there is still a quantity of fuel inthe tank which may then be used to drive the vehicle to the nearest filling station.

The fuel tank 1 of any desired shape may be provided with a settling chamber 2 to which is connected a pipe 3 which leads to the inletpassage 4 of the control valve 5. A fuel pipe 6 leads from the outlet passage 7 of the valve to the carbureter of the engine (not shown). In the valve body is rotatably mounted a plug 8 having a transverse passage .9 and a handle 10.

I Extending up fronithe valve 5 is a stand pipe 12 which extends above the highest possible fuel level of the tank and which has a small vent hole 13. The upper end of this stand pipe may be bent over and secured to any suitable part 14 of the vehicle. A small passage 15 extends'from the inlet pasjsald inlet passage, a stand pipe and a (pas \Vhen the parts are in the positions shown 1n the drawings, the fuel flows from the tank through the settling chamber 2, pipe 3, 1nlet passage 4 and connecting passage 15 into the stand pipe 12 until the fuel therein is at the same level as that in the tank 1. The control tube 16 and passages 18 and 7 are also filled and fuel flows to the engine through the pipe 6 as it is needed. But when the fuel has been consumed until its level reaches the level of the top of the control tube 16, the flow to the engine ceases and the vehicle stops. At this time the plug 8 1S turned until the passage 9 connects the passages 4 and 7 which permits the remain-- der of the fuel in the tank to flow to the engine. The driver of the vehicle now knows the exact amount of fuel he can depend upon to carry him to his next source of supply.

It is evident that the pipe 6 may be connected to the tank instead of the pipe 3 without affecting the operation of the valve,

The sizes and proportions of the several.

those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims. I

It is to be understood that while thiscontrol valve is particularly adapted for motor vehicles. it is as useful in connection withfuel tanks used for any other purpose, especially for the fuel tanks of motor boa-ts.

I claim 1. A fuel tank'control valve having inlet and outlet passages-and a valve plug to connect and disconnect these passages, a stand pipe extending upwardly from. the valve and-a passage connecting the pipe to the inlet passage, and a control tube extending up within the stand pipeand a passage connecting the control tube to the outlet passage of the valve.

2. A fuel tank and a fuel valve adjacentthereto and formed with inlet and outletpassages, a pipe connecting the fuel tank-to ing sage connecting it to theipipe exten ipe extending,

from the tank, said stand above the height of the fuel in the tank and having a vent hole at its upper end, a control tube extending up within the stand pipe to a predetermined level and connecting to the outlet passage in the valve by means of a passage, and a movable-member in the valve provided with a passage to conneet the inlet and outlet passages whereby the tank may be drained.

3. A fuel tank control device comprising a pair of upright pipes, one within the other, the shorter. pipe being inside, means eonnecting one ofthe pipes to the tank and means connecting the other pipe to a fuelconduit, and means forby-passing the fuel below the lower ends of the pipes.

4. A fuel tank control device et'nnprising a pair of upright pipes, one within the other, the shorter pipe being inside, means eonnecting one of the pipes to the tank and means eonnectin; the other pipe to a fuel conduit, and means for by-passing the fuel below the lower ends of the pipes. said means comprising a valve connecting to the tank and to the fuel conduit.

WILBERT C. REPLOGLE. 

